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State & Local
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Continue'
Harvai
Wednesday, March2hQ U ke Ur
Page 2
The Battalion
Doctoral student
lectures in India
for two months
By Melody Dunne
The Battalion
He spent two months in a
foreign land for the price of the
round trip plane ticket.
Robert L. Frenza, a doctoral
student in industrial education,
planned to visit India last De
cember to give one lecture on
safety management, and found
himself traveling and lecturing
throughout the country for two
months, for free.
Frenza said it all began when
he represented A&M last Au
gust at the World Safety Orga
nization conference in Houston
and met R. K. Sinha, the presi
dent of a similar conference in
India. Sinha invited Frenza to
visit India and give a lecture on
security and safety manage
ment.
In December, Frenza trav
eled to India, only planning to
stay for a week or two. After he
gave the planned lecture for the
Indian Institute of Security and
Safety Management Seminar
(IISSM), he was invited to speak
at several other seminars, which
led to the extension of his trip.
"India is a Third World
country without knowledge of
safety procedures," Frenza said.
All in all, Frenza gave 12 lec
tures and toured India exten
sively while being entertained
by Sinha and the sponsors of
the seminars in which he spoke.
Now Frenza wants to share
his experiences with other
A&M students in hopes that
they too would like to journey
to India. There's only one catch,
he said.
Students must be willing to
pay $1,300 for a round-trip
plane ticket, and also must be
willing to give one 45-minute
lecture related to security , safe
ty, industrial management, mo
tivation or industrial education
at the next IISSM Seminar this
December.
Frenza said the Indian peo
ple were extremely hospitable,
and the differences in the Indi
an and American cultures was a
source of interest.
While he was there he wit
nessed an Indian wedding, in
which the bride and groom
adorn one another with wreaths
instead of the common wed
ding ring.
On another occasion Frenza
said he ate an entire sparrow,
which is considered a delicacy
in India.
"It would have been impolite
to refuse it in their culture," he
said.
One of Frenza's favorite
tourist stops was his visit to the
Taj Mahal, the monument to an
Indian emperor's wife.
Frenza will be giving an in
formational talk on April 8 from
noon to 1 p.m. in room 616 of
the Harrington Education Cen
ter for those interested in learn
ing how to apply to be a speak
er in India.
MDA recalls 50 years of worl
ee posi
while Yah
By Karen Praslicka
The Battalion
More than fifty years ago, a
small group of parents concerned
about their children who had
muscular diseases created the
Muscular Dystrophy Association
(MDA).
Today, the MDA is the primary
research and support organization
for people across the nation with
muscular and neuromuscular dis
eases.
"It started in one city with a
small handful of parents, and now
we are nationwide," said Mary
Scherer, program coordinator
with the MDA. "We have a office
and or clinic in every major city
across the nation."
The MDA has 240 clinics that
provide medical and support ser
vices to patients and their families.
Workers who volunteer their time
help patients and their families in
conjunction with staff persons
with the MDA.
Scherer said the organization's
primary goal is to find treatments
for 40 neuromuscular or muscular
diseases.
"There are specific muscle dis
eases that are considered muscu
lar dystrophy — that's where we
get our name," Scherer said. "Oth
ers deal with motor neurons."
In muscular dystrophy dis
eases, the muscle itself weakens.
In neuromuscular diseases, motor
skills and nerves in the body are
affected.
"Some are very wicked dis
eases that strike very quickly, and
there's not much we can do,"
Scherer said. "But we are making
progress in the research."
MDA researchers have located
the gene that is responsible for
Lou Gehrig's Disease, which is a
type of amyotrophic lateral sclero
sis. This is a big step in finding a
cure, she said.
"These diseases are more com
mon than most people think," she
said. "Some are hereditary and
were the ]
law schoo
I Dr. Elv
of the C<
A&M, sai'
an opinio
some aren't. They can;
baby or someone who'sven s aid the tr;
The other major purpcs Harvard ^
MDA is to provide paginate such
vices, such as medical atlJyeys.
and providing wheel ch» "We're
other medical equipment]and it tak
services the associationofiwpur repui
elude emotional support* Smith s
and financial assistance. a better v\
Scherer said usuallyp;: Until that
contact them for help, buti Medicine
times they are referred: self intern;
MDA by their doctors.
"Part of what we do is ft I
public information and (lie i
part comes through them: r T
See Telethon? ■ *
I
Mental Retardation Month ends with semint
Continuec
By Gina Howard
The Battalion
The Mental Health and Mental
Retardation Authority of Brazos
Valley will be topping off celebra
tion of Mental Retardation Month
with a networking seminar this
weekend.
The seminar, "Planning for the
Future: Crystal Ball Not Re
quired," will be held March 28.
"This is really our big event,"
said Melodee Hursey, Program
Manager of Diagnostic and Evalu
ation and Mental Retardation
Month Planning Committee chair
woman. "We've had several other
smaller activities, but this is the
mam one.
The main focus of the event is
to give families and individuals a
chance to share ideas and prob
lems.
Other topics such as living ar
rangements, guardianship and al
ternatives, and wills and trusts
will also be discussed.
"What we are trying to do is to
develop a system of networking
that will be a way to pull people
together and to hopefully develop
some personal resources," Hursey
said.
"So many times people feel
they are alone when they really
aren't."
Awards will be presented at
the seminar to an outstanding em
ployee based on work with indi
viduals and to an outstanding per
son with mental retardation.
"The award for an outstanding
person with mental retardation
will be given to an individual who
has beat the label of 'mentally re
tarded' in dealing and living,"
Hursey said.
Hursey said the other activities
of MHMR this month included
participation in a health fair, a
luncheon, and television and radio
coverage of the events.
Janie M. Velasquez, a public in
formation officer with MHMR,
said many different volunteer pro
jects and service projects are tak
ing place throughout March to im
prove facilities.
mpant ac
In Hous
"The N;
fcsolutely
about the r
These will be conducted he saic
unteers from the communilM "\\j e jg
vice organizations and melL w hethe
of the center because tf
Hursey said she does no!
the community to forget
MHMR after March is over.
"The main thing whileij
celebrating is that it is im]
for the community to und(
we provide the same H^’out the
month after month," saidl emerg
"We have lots of sen™
seven counties and wea:§j
volved with all ages. Some
programs are actually coik®
seven days a week."
For more information
Mental Retardation Month,
programs, call 779-MHMR i Continue
e occupa
ss to fire.
Mattox
Br
South Padre's police chief reports 383
isrown sai
Brown
PI T , "TP^tl ed ' i S nor<
v*LM| ? anti-estab
By Alysia Woods
The Battalion
NOTICE
Candidates can submit campaign platform
for publication in March 31 Voter’s Guide
The Texas A&M Voter's Guide will be distributed March 31. It
includes a listing of candidates for student government positions.
Individuals running for Student Body President, Yell Leader,
Class Presidents, Off-Campus Aggie President and RHA
President may submit a written campaign platform for publication.
Student Body President and Yell Leaders need to set up times for
pictures. Additional information can be obtained in room 013 Reed
McDonald or call 845-3316.
Students who partied on South
Padre Island during spring break
kept local police officers busy, but
generally" remained in control,
said one officer.
Chief of South Padre Island's
Police Department Ed Sanders
said 383 arrests were made on the
island during Spring Break and
most of them were for public in
toxication.
Aside from the problem of
drinking and driving, no major car
accidents were reported, he said.
"We had a lot of accidents with
injuries, but there were no fatali
ties this year," he said.
Sanders said drinking and driv
ing is always the most serious
problem for officers to handle, but
students are beginning to party
more cautiously. • .n, i ■«.
"We- try to get them to party
smart and it has qaught on," he
said. "It's even caught on in Mata-
moros and Brownsville."
Mexican police cracked down
this year on intoxicated students
who wandered the streets of Mexi
co, said Sanders.
"The mayor of Matamoros
called me to tell us that they
would be arresting students and
putting them in jail," he said. "So
if you go to Mexico, remember
that you can end up in jail!"
Other problem^ Sanders and
his officers experienced were rob
beries and students possessing
concealed weapons.
"This spring break, it seemed
like students were more destruc
tive," said Sanders, "We took a lot
of knives and guns away from stu
dents."
More serious than robberies, he
said, were the two sexual assaults
that occurred. One of the victims
would not give her name or press
charges against her assailant.
'it's goin;
They (students) seem tcp mentum '
a lack of concern for them.4jj occas j on
and it's very amazing," Sii v i sec j pi U j
said. "In this case, theguTtollfree, f L
just beat the hell outoffhisi p or all
but she kept blaming her;* comman(
A minor problemtnore tha
partmeflat Tackled was toft ■ was wir
gestion: Sanders saidi- Brown's 2
dents spvut the 4?y or#
they would drive aroM
preparing to go to a ni|A
"We had some traffic)*
said. "There were aco;|
lights in town that wets on track t(
change to flashing lights.
In general, Sanders sai;
students had a good time.
The Battalion
USPS 045-360
The Battalion is published daily except Saturday, Sunday, holidays, exam periods, and
when school is not in session during fall and spring semesters; publication is Tuesday
through Friday during the summer session. Second class postage paid at College
Station, TX 77840.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald Building,
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-1111.
News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University
in the Division of Student Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. Editorial
offices are in 013 Reed McDonald Building. The newsroom phone number is 845-3316.
Fax: 845-2647.
Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editorial board or the contributor,
and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Texas A&M student body, adminis
trators, faculty or the A&M Board of Regents.
Advertising: For campus, local and national display advertising, call 845-2696. For
classified advertising, call 845-0569. Advertising offices are in 015 Reed McDonald and
office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 845-5408.
Subscriptions: Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50
per full year. To charge by VISA or MasterCard, call 845-2611.
High Blood Pressure Study
Individuals either on or off high blood pressure medication
needed to participate in a high blood pressure research study
involving an investigational oral medication and an investiga
tional intravenous medication. $600 incentive paid to those
chosen to participate upon completion of the research study.
Free Spring Allergy
Skin Testing
Individuals with spring allergy symptoms to screen for
upcoming research studies.
Impetigo Study
Individuals of any age with symptoms of impetigo (bacterial
infection of the skin) to participate in an investigational drug
research study using a cream with drug in it. $150 for those
chosen and completing the study.
an apport
on congr
shares. Tsc
. Democi
Ronald Bn
It's not c
Tension Headache?
Individuals with moderate to severe Tension Headaches wanted
to participate in a 4-hour headache relief research study with
an investigational medication in tablet form. Flexible hours.
$75 incentive for individuals who are chosen and complete
the study. Daily, till 6:30 776-0400.
Asthma Study
WANTED: Individuals, age 12-65, with mild to moderate
asthma to participate in a clinical research study for 6 weeks
with an investigational medication in inhaler form. Individuals
must be using inhaled steroids and bronchodilators daily to
qualify. $400 incentive paid to those completing the study.
SKIN INFECTION STUDY
Individuals age 13 and older wanted to participate in a
research study for bacterial skin infections such as: abscess,
infected burns, boils, infected hair follicles, impetigo, and
others. InvestigationaJ oral antibiotic in capsule form.
$100 incentive for those chosen who complete the study.
|
For more information call:
BIOPHARMA, INC.
776-0400
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